Aristida macrophylla

HABIT Perennial. Culms 50–100 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded (deciduous). Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–0.8 mm long. Collar glabrous. Leaf-blades flexuous (sometimes erect); flat (lower), or convolute (upper); 15–50(–55) cm long; 0.5–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially (densely); glabrous, or pilose (sometimes); hairless except near base; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acute; antrorsely scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted (or subcontracted); (14–)18–23 cm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets subterete; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; straight; 0.5–0.7 mm long; pilose; acute (subacute).

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar (lower longer than upper). Lower glume lanceolate; 10–14(–16) mm long; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume surface scabrous; rough generally. Lower glume apex acuminate; muticous. Upper glume lanceolate; (6–)10–12 mm long; 1 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth. Upper glume apex entire; acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma subterete; 6–7(–10) mm long; without keel; rounded throughout; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough generally; with a median groove (ventral,longitudinal). Lemma margins convolute. Lemma apex awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn straight, or flexuous; ascending, or spreading; pseudo-articulate at base; with 16–20(–24) mm long limb; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 5–7(–8) mm long. Lateral lemma awns ascending, or spreading as much as principal; 14–18(–21) mm long; shorter than principal (slightly).

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Aristideae. LO-W 1993.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Awns connivent at basis, than divergents.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.